In defence of Idah Peterside, and other stories

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Idah Peterside is the current media officer of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. He is an ex-international goalkeeper who has also stood between the uprights for the Swallows Football Club and the Classic Football Club of South Africa.

He now resides comfortably in Johannesburg and appears frequently on the Super Sports Channels (DSTV) as a football analyst. He is also the General Overseer of a church in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is happily married. I was privileged to be at an event put together to celebrate his first year wedding anniversary in July 2009, at his residence in Johannesburg. So I can claim to know the man of God, a little bit.

Who lied to the pastor?

I believe he must have been misinformed or deceived, because there is no reason - none at all - for such a man of God to tell a lie, as he must have been accused of by many who watched the programme titled “African Soccer” on one of the Super Sports channels this morning November 2, 2009.

Peterside said during the programme: “The young boys playing for us - Nigeria - are 13 and 14 years old boys.” He also went to announce to the world via the Direct Satellite Television - DSTV - that two players from the United Arab Emirates have failed the MRI tests carried out by FIFA during this FIFA U-17 World Cup finals.

Where did the media officer get this information from? Who is his contact here in Nigeria feeding him such irresponsible and outrageous information? Does Peterside not know that none of these so-called U-17 players representing Nigeria is from a secondary school?

Okay, maybe he believed the news that went round the world about two months ago that some “very young” players were being secretly assembled and groomed in Abuja by the Nigerian Football Federation; a crack squad of young sharp shooters or weapons (better still boys) of mass destruction, that would demolish any age-grade football team from any part of the world.

As a pastor, Peterside must have believed that piece of information - absolutely - and could not wait to see Naija’s version of Davids confronting the Goliaths of world football. Sorry my brother, you have been deceived.

None of the boys - sorry, men - representing this great country in the current fiesta is below 22 years of age. If Adokiye Amiesimaka, a lawyer and ex-international footballer, could tell the whole world that Fortune Chukwudi is at least nine years older than he claimed he was then, pastor, please declare the next 40 days for fasting/prayer to deliver Nigerian football from the grips of liars. I might add that the 40 days must be without food and water.

Showing ourselves approved

In a related matter, I was at the Teslim Balogun stadium on Tuesday October 27, 2009, to watch the Switzerland versus Japan and Brazil versus Mexico matches. Thank God, I succeeded in purchasing the N1,000.00 ticket for N2,000.00 because, according to the tout, “na becos I know you o cochila”. I was grateful to him and went in through gate M that led to the sports writers’ tribune. Since I was not accredited, I sat on a chair next to the Tribune, close enough to monitor another football match on a television set meant for my colleagues covering the live matches.

After the Japan/Switzerland match, three sports writers got into a heated argument on why Switzerland defeated Japan.

I was shocked to discover that terms like skills, techniques, tactics, game strategy and formations were misapplied at every point. At a point, I felt like intervening, but decided otherwise. I thought it was better to play safe. Then I remembered what my good friend - a very loquacious aburo - Bolaji Ojo’Oba, said about “some people who do not know a thing about football, but go about bla, bla, bla, bla and bla”.

My own take on this issue is that effort must now be made by media houses and individuals to ensure that sports writers acquire some basic training in football coaching. At least those of us in this noble profession should understand the 3 “R’s” of football, i.e. receiving, retaining and releasing the ball. We should know the difference between techniques and skills, match strategy and how to write a technical report. This will assist in the development of football in Nigeria.

I have made this suggestion out of genuine concern and with due respect to all my revered seniors and peers, whose superior journalistic skills and professional prowess have influenced my decision to take after them. I respect and esteem you all very highly.

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Reader Comments (8)

Posted by Muhammed Sanni on Nov 03 2009

Peterside has no clue. No UAE player failed the MRI rather those players recieved straight red cards in the Under-16 AYC before voming to Nigeria for the World Cup......dang. Similarly, he's failed as analyst on TV, media officer of the Super Eagles and clearly showed that he lack basic communication skill. He should focus on his church and seek another career away from the media-related profession. Pastor, concerning those Nigerian journalists, please read what they write in the papers and you will get a clear idea who they are - half baked noise makers. Enough said.

Posted by Brooks on Nov 03 2009

I quite agree with your submission about Peterside.I'm an avid follower of the Afica Soccer show,and often times,I get embarassed by his statements.I really think he needs to be more careful with the things he says.For example,at the start of the World Cup qualifiers,he declared he would walk into the SuperSports studios naked if Nigeria doesn't qualify for 2010.We are still praying for God to avert that.And I did not expect him to mention the UAE story eventhough I had also heard the same news on a respected Sports Radio sometime last week.As long as there is no official declaration from FIFA to that effect,Peterside is on his own. But reacting to your notion about the ages of the current eaglets,I need to draw your attention to the fact that NONE of the teams represented in this tournament came with secondary school boys.You may wish to check the team lists.The guys from Germany,Argentina etc are all registered players from professional clubs like River Plate,FC Cologne etc.And talking about being fresh from school,you'll agree with me that due to the socio-economic situation in the country,most boys from underpriviledged homes rarely finish secondary school these days.This is even more rampant in eastern Nigeria where most boys drop out of school after JSS3 (usually about ages 13 or 14) to sell spare parts or play football (for those who have the skills).You may wish to verify this from the Federal Ministry of Education or the Education Ministries in those states.I think we should leave this debate about age to FIFA's MRI.If we are to assess ages based on looks or the opinions of people who claim to have met these guys 7 years ago,we will never be able to establish true ages.Going by looks,Man U's 17-year old Italian prodigy (Macheda) looks well above 17 and he's been playing pro-football for a couple of years.If a 40 year-old man is able to pass the MRI test,then that means as far as FIFA is concerned,such a man is not more than 17!Or should we recommend that FIFA's criteria for eligibility at the U-17 World Cup must include a secondary school certificate obtained not more than one year before the tournament?

Posted by Whatever on Nov 03 2009

Who gave you first hand information on the ages of the players? You claim non is below 22 right? Did they confess this to you or where you there when they were born? Since when is every single 17 year old or younger boy in school in this country? There are 26 year old's who never went to school and 12 year old's who'll never be in school. You accuse Ida of disseminating false information and you do the exact same thing. You think writing for next gives you the right to do the same thing you condemn another for. Hypocrite!!!!!!!

Posted by Gabriel on Nov 03 2009

Since you have the ability to decipher people's ages with such a degree of confidence,I'll suggest FIFA should stop wasting their resources and time on the MRI test.They should simply engage your services.I think we really need to be more constructive with our criticisms.The boys may not all be U-17,but for a journalist to give a blanket conclusion about the ages of 21 players,just like you've done,then you must have been there when they were all born.I also think your argument about the secondary school thing simply does not hold water.It's common knowledge that most of our footballers rarely wait to finish school before starting their careers on the streets.

Posted by eric.o on Nov 03 2009

if mri scan cannot detect the ages of these young lads accurately,then its a pity.we need to be truthful at all times with our ages.some of those players look like real men but since we are not their parents who gave birth to them,lets all believe the mri scan at least for now.but we need to re-orientate nigerians about given their real age.

Posted by heroiceagles on Nov 03 2009

@Whatever and Gabriel, both of you are here trying to defend the totally incoherent Idah Peterside. Anyway,to the writer who claims to know Idah, please ask him what it is he is doing as 'Media Officer' of the Super Eagles when the NFF has a Media Officer. Idah is in there because because of the one man who is the bane of Nigerian football Amos Adamu. He is called an ex-international, goodness me. what game did he play? Here is a man who thinks the world of himself but who in reality is an empty drum. I have interacted with this guy at a Super Eagles camp in Malaga, Spain last year and I could not believe him. What a clown.

Posted by concern clem on Nov 04 2009

IT IS ONLY IN THIS COUNTRY WE CONDEMN EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR OWN.ALL THE NEXT'S REPORTS ABOUT THIS WORLD CUP HAS BEEN ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE.TELL US SOME INTRESTING PARTS OF THE EVENT AS EVEN FIFA DOES ON THEIR WEBSITE. YOU ARE ALL BORING PROPLE. CRAPS!

Posted by Manqoba Gumede on Dec 05 2009

Pastar Idah. Im fully behind you no matter what they say! You guys @ soccer africa (Thomas, Gaye, and Tk) makes my football knowledge improve a lot. Peter you deserve to be where you are i will always hold you to high esteem as a true gentleman of this beautiful game, so what is thrown at you take it a build you paradise. Chees